B Y A K U Y A: True L I G H T
by HitsugayaFanGirl
Summary: Yukari Tanaka is a girl with an unnatural curse. Employed under the time/space witch Yuuko, she is sent on her most important task. Can any of the dimension jumping groups break her curse?
1. Sight

A/N- Hey there! Welcome to my second Tsubasa RESERvoir CHRoNiCLE fanfic! This came to be after I saw four pages in a row for FaixKurogane (shivers…Yes, I love Fai, and Kurogane is cool, but…)

Disclaimer- Tsubasa RESERvoir CHRoNiCLE © CLAMP

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~B Y A K U Y A ~True L I G H T

_Chapter 1- Sight_

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"Watanuki-kun! Where'd you put the teapot?" I called from the kitchen into the living room. A teen with short, black hair and glasses stuck his head through the doorway.

"Stop yelling. Yûko-san had it last," he mumbled in annoyance. I sighed. Great. If Yûko had it last there was no telling were it could be now. Placing the cup that I was holding down onto the counter, I lifted my hand to my face and brushed back a loose strand of my light-blue hair.

"Then do you know where she is?" I asked him as I approached him. It was him who sighed this time.

"No. If I did then I wouldn't have to lug this box around until I can find it's proper location," Watanuki said as he managed to adjust the position of a large box that he was holding. I looked at the label.

It read: Marco's Cookbook for 100 Great Meals. Cookbook? I peered inside. To my surprise, there was a book, but other strange stuff as well. However, this is the place where strange and unusual stuff come together. Watanuki shifted the box again.

"I'll go find her, then," I told Watanuki and as I walked out, I pointed to a small, table. "You can probably place the box there, next to that silver pocket watch,"

"Ah, okay," he replied, and gratefully set the box down. I nodded and left the room. The entire day had been quite. Which, here, was unusual and meant that something was going to happen. I walked further towards the back of the house. Yûko normally hung out around there when she didn't want to be sociable. Soon, tall shelves lined themselves on each side of me, filled with a strange assortment of objects. I continued to wander further to the back. It was then when something caught my attention. A soft chiming rang from behind a door. What is that? I walked cautiously to the door and opened it.

The room I entered was dark and filled with boxes on one side. On the other side, was an open sliding glass door. The sound was louder in this room.

"Ah, you can hear it. Interesting," A woman with long, black hair and reddish eyes said. I tilted my head to the side. What is she talking about?

"What's 'interesting', Yûko-san?" I asked her. She smiled wickedly. Oh crap, that's not a good sign.

"Yukari-chan," she began in a sweet voice, I took a step back, " how long have you been working for me?"

Well, that was unexpected.

"Depends on your definition of 'working' Yûko." I told her. We didn't get paid. Yûko frowned and rephrased her question.

"How long have you been here helping me?"

"Uhh, 6 years I think,"

"So you trust me then?" She asked. I stared at her like she was crazy.

"My first year here you left me alone to fend for myself for a week while people everywhere were mysteriously dying of heart attacks. If it had been Watanuki-kun, he would've left."

"We all know the reason behind that now…" she explained. True. I sighed.

"I suppose I trust you…a little…" I then recounted all the times she had pulled pranks on me. Yûko grinned.

"Good girl. Now, I'll show you it," she began to reach into a bag. As she retracted her hand, a light glow came from her palm. It was a small, crystal orb. Inside of it, some strange force swirled. I felt the necklace around my neck pulse. It was something that has been with me since I was born. Dangling on a long, silver chain and was my diamond-shaped sapphire. The blue shone magnificently as it reflected the little moonlight that streamed through the glass door.

"Yûko-san… what is that? Where did you get it?" I asked her. Yûko sat the sphere on a table.

"I got it from the same person that you inherited your powers from. I walked in here this morning and noticed that it was starting to awake. It's also the reason why I find it interesting that you could here it." Yûko explained. I looked away from the object towards her. It was six years ago that I had 'accidentally' arrived in front of Yûko's shop. It was also that day when my…powers activated and I physically stopped aging. I was seventeen then, and I'm still seventeen now.

I had panicked that day, I had no clue on what was going on. Until Yûko told me that the only way to overcome this was to gain control of my powers. She told me that if I didn't, I would eventually have to watch the people I knew grow old and die, while I still remained young. So, on that day, I left my grandparents and made the decision to work with Yûko, to help her at the shop. I got free room and board, but also had to do the cleaning and cooking. I could no longer be with anyone who was unaware about magic. The orb on the table stopped glowing, and Yûko frowned.

"So, I guess it's not time yet." Yûko said disappointedly. I looked at her questioningly.

"What will happen when it does activate?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"We'll know eventually. Here, go back to the kitchen and get me that pocket watch. Oh, and by the way, the teapot should be behind the toaster." Yûko told me with a wave of her hand. Figures that she would already know what I came for. That was Yûko for you, always keeping secrets and remaining mysterious. On another hand, why would it be behind the toaster? I shook my head disapprovingly as I made my way back to the front. There was a crash in the storage room and I rushed in to find Watanuki face-flat on the ground with a pile of books on top of him.

"You need help?" I asked him, trying to contain my laughter. Watanuki glared at me and shuffled his way out from under the heap.

"No, I'm perfectly fine." Watanuki said as he dusted himself off. I shrugged.

"Alright then. By the way, Yûko wants to see that pocket watch from earlier, I'll be busy fixing some tea." I told him and he sighed as he started to pick up the books.

The kitchen. A place where no matter how many times I cleaned it, still became untidy. Living with Yûko is always like that. Nowadays, I'm glad that she had gotten Watanuki to 'assist' her. I finally had a little help now whenever Yûko became too drunk off of sake. I after clearing off the kitchen counter, I eventually saw the handle of a teapot hidden behind the toaster. There you are. I slid it out from behind the metal toaster and took a small cup from the cabinet above my head. It was that instant that began to change my life. A loud chime rang through my mind, startling me. I watched as the ceramic cup fell from my hands, and then everything froze. A weird buzzing feeling filled me and the sceneary around me started to fuzz in and out. Changing. The chiming grew louder and I squeezed my eyes shut. Gradually, the sound stopped and I opened my eyes. What the...?

I was no longer in the kitchen, that was one thing I was sure of. As far as I could see I was surrounded by fields and farmland. In the very distance I spotted mountains. I'm now positive that I wasn't in Japan anymore. I looked down at my hands and gasped. They were translucent. So my possibilities were that I died and became a ghost or this was a vision. I hoped strongly for the second. I jumped for the second time today when voices aroused from behind me. I turned, and saw a group of people walking closer.

"Ne, Kuro-pan, you don't have to be so harsh." A tall, blonde haired guy with light blue eyes said. Kuro-pan? What a strange name. Another guy, about the same height as the first with spiky black hair and eyes similar to Yûko's, growled.

"Keep it up, Mage, and I'll-"

"What'll you do, Kuro-puu?" the blonde said in a taunting manor which made the other man explode. He let out a cry of rage and began to chase after the blonde. I laughed and it was echoed by another, bringing my attention to them. The one who had laughed was a girl. Her hair was short and light brown while her eyes were green. My eyes widened. Mokona? In her arms she carried Mokona, or at least a white one. The last member of the group was a boy also with light brown hair, but he had brown eyes. They walked right up to me, completely unaware of my presence. They can't see me? It was definitely a vision then. Yûko had informed me that I might have this gift, it ran in my blood, but I never imagined it to be so strong.

"Kurogane-san, please don't hurt Fai-san!" the girl cried out. The black hair one, who I guessed as Kurogane, stopped, an annoyed look on his face. The blonde, who I took as Fai, ran towards us and in-between the other two. I slightly moved out of the way. This might be a vision, but I don't know what will happen I run into them.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan!" Fai said, sounding breathless but cheerful. He grinned, then suddenly looked at the spot where I stood. My body jerked, like it was being pulled back. Uh-oh. Air seemed to rush around me, sucking me back in. The scenery that was around me collapsed and faded, returning to Yûko's kitchen. Slowly, the kitchen fell back into place, and I stood there, shocked. Everything was still frozen. Weird, what happened to my hearing? It was completely silent. And then it all crashed down like a wave, hitting me all at once. I felt one last jerk, and I blinked as the tea cup crashed to the floor, shattering. I stood there, numb.

"What did you see?" Yûko's voice asked from the doorway. How did she get in here that fast? I steadied myself and was about to respond, but was pulled into a second vision. It was faster this time and I soon found myself in a dark, cavern like place.

"Hime!" someone cried out. Hime? A princess? I turned towards the direction of the voice and took a step back in horror. What looked like a giant black lizard with four eyes, two tails and spikes that covered most of its body, had taken its long forked tongue and grabbed the girl from earlier. Its going to eat her? She screamed, as the boy from earlier fell roughly unto the ground.

"Sakura-hime, hold still!" the man from earlier, Kurogane, said as he rushed past me, drawing a katana. I watched as he leaped into the air, and sliced through the creatures' tongue. The girl fell.

"Sakura!" the boy called out as he got to his feet and ran to catch her. He succeeded. A low whistle came from close behind me.

"You okay, Sakura-chan? Syaoran-kun?" the blonde, Fai, asked as he took a step beside me.

"Y-yeah." Sakura said. The boy just nodded and sat the girl down.

"Look out!" the white Mokona yelled. Kurogane slammed into the ground, blood flowing from a long gash on his arm. Syaoran stood and dashed at the creature. What does he think he's doing? I attempted to take a step forward, and everything stretched and faded to black. No, not again! Then, as quick as a blink of an eye, there was a flash of a feather. What was that? The kitchen returned, and dropped back into place. Yûko was standing right in front of me. She's moved somehow.

"What did you see this time?" Yûko asked. I looked at her quizzically.

"You weren't frozen, well, stuck in time, were you?" I said, it wasn't a question. She shook her head.

"My magic is greater than yours, so, no. Now, tell me what you saw." Yûko asked again. I quickly relayed the visions to her. Yûko closed her eyes briefly.

"Mokona, come in the kitchen please." She called out. From the other room, the little black bunny, Mokona, hopped in.

"Whatcha need, Yûko?" Mokona asked. Good question, Mokona. Yûko turned to me.

"Yukari, the reason you're having these visions obviously have a strong connection to the group you saw. A while back when you were on a mission, all of them came from a different dimension, each with a wish to travel to different worlds. You said you saw the other Mokona, right?" She told me. I nodded, wondering what she was getting at.

"I believe that you are needed there." Yûko said. My eyes widened.

"Why?"

"I don't know yet. It could be either to help, or to hinder them on their quest, but it all comes down to what will happen when you get there. Mokona? Can you please contact the other one with this information?" Yûko said and the bunny nodded. I nervously swallowed.

"How are you sending me this time, Yûko?" I asked. The last time I had traveled to a separate dimension made me queasy. Out of nowhere, Yûko pulled out a small, hand-held mirror. Evidently, it was not just for checking your reflection. It had many other uses as well, like a communicator, or a compass.

"You want me to use this again, like with the vampires?" I asked her recalling my most recent mission involving a teenage girl and twin vampires. Yûko nodded.

"Yes, I'll give you a few minutes to pack. Also, once you reach the other Mokona, the mirror will no longer be able to send you back or allow communication." Yûko informed me. I nodded and ran to my room, packing only the items that I would really need. This was no ordinary mission, that I could tell. I didn't even know what I was supposed to do! I shook my head, dismissing my thoughts and quickly zipped up my bag. Slinging it over my back, I rushed back to Yûko.

"All packed?" I gave her a quick nod. She smiled.

"Remember, the world you get sent to may be full of danger, so always be alert. You know that your necklace helps amplify your powers, so don't forget about that either. The other Mokona has been informed and is awaiting your arrival. Are you ready?" Yûko asked. I nodded again, nervously.

"Then you may go." She said, as he handed me the mirror. The glass began to glow brightly, and the small wings on the side grew larger, wrapping around me. White light shone from the mirror, shrouding me in it, and that was the last thing I saw.

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A/N- Well? How was it? Chapter 2 is currently being written as well, so with enough reviews, it might come out faster! Until next time!

See ya!~


	2. Through the Looking Glass

Disclaimer- Tsubasa RESERvoir CHRoNiCLE © CLAMP

~B Y A K U Y A ~True L I G H T

_Chapter 2- Through the Looking Glass_

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Darkness filled the majority of the space that I had been sucked into. Every now and then, a bright, golden orb would spiral past me in a terrifying speed. Seconds, which seemed like hours, passed until one large orb of light flew towards me and opened. A tugging sensation hooked around me, pulling me in. The equivalent feeling of when a person pulls a rubber band and it snapping back into place. There was a loud pop as it completely engulfed me, and instantly I found myself falling from the sky. Mentally, I cursed Yûko. This wasn't the first of my 'trips' that had had this result. Yet, never had it been this bad. I stared in horror as I continued to plummet towards the quickly approaching ground. With a short growl, I slid the mirror that I was still holding into my bag, and held my hands before me.

"_Currents of Wind, become my cushion! Zephyr_!" I said, focusing my magic into my hands and casting one of the few spells that I had mastered. The air below me distorted. Bending and swirling into a concentrated ball. I prepared myself for the upcoming impact, as hitting the surface of the wind was going to sting. As expected, my body crashed through the exterior of Zephyr, a pain similar to that of 'belly flopping' into water. I winced, my body aching and a sickening sensation filling my stomach. The initial pain dulled as the currents slowed my fall to a complete stop, letting me float the rest of the way down. With a small twist of my hand, I dismissed the spell as I landed, my feet making a soft 'thud.' I groaned as I studied my surroundings. Left. Right. North. South. I was surrounded by large, dark trees, their branches blocking out all sunlight except for the hole that I had just created. With the addition of my body now aching from the spell, a 'withdrawal' of sorts from using my magic so suddenly, was bound to happen later. It would leave me exhausted for a few minutes, and unable to defend myself in case of danger. And this place did not look safe. I had to find that group or a place to rest soon. With a sigh, I reached into my bag to retrieve the mirror.

"Now what do I do?" I muttered aloud. The surface of the mirror flashed faintly and the green jewel-like decoration on its left side lit up. My head slightly tilted with it.

Does this mean that it wants me to go this way? I turned, and the red jewel on its top flickered on as the green gem dimmed. I guess so. With a lazy sigh, I began to follow its instructions, and hopefully, it would lead me out of this creepy forest. Within a few minutes, a soft light was visible beyond the thick trees, and I immediately quickened my pace. Happily in the clear and out of the crowded forest, I found myself standing on the edge of a field. Strange, wooden, tower-like structures stood at the edge of the forest, as if guarding something. Not too far in the distance, I spotted a small town. Its buildings like that of some old Western type. A sharp, piercing whistle sounded to my right and I turned. A girl, possibly a few years younger than my 'age' was running up to me. Her eyes were a soft brown and her hair the same, tied back into a bun. She wore strange tunic-like clothing, embroidered with a large, red sun on the front. I gave a nervous wave to show that I was friendly as she neared.

"Ęn lôu? Ŧû£ ßãϗϛ Ҩӕ؟ Ɖō!" the girl said frantically. I gave her a nervous smile. _This_ is the problem with being sent on a mission. Unless it is a similar world, like another Japan, I wouldn't be able to understand the country's citizens until I found my target. I held my hands up apologetically.

"Umm, I'm sorry, but I can't understand you," I told the girl, and watched as her facial expression changed from that of suspicion to confusion.

"Ỹoŉ? Řœ!" the girl said animatedly as she took hold of my hand. I gave her a doubtful look and she gave a slight tug.

"Ỹoŉ? Řœ!" the girl repeated as she continued to pull me away from the forest. Unwillingly, I gave in, and began to follow her into the open fields towards the town. Who knows? She might just lead me to the group that I'm looking for.

"Řœ!" The girl said in an anxious tone as we neared the town. Her pace quickened.

"What?" I asked her.

"Hurry! The suns about to set!" The girl said, this time completely intelligible. I looked up, now noticing her almost fearful glances at the sky. It was getting darker, the sky turning a hazy orange as the sun sank in the distance. A purplish hue already beginning to set in near the forest.

"What happens then?" I asked as I kept up with her. Her large, brown eyes widened as she now understood me as well.

"It's dangerous of course! Once we get inside the Café and to safety, I'll explain everything!" the girl said as we ran past a sign that stood before the town. As the final rays of light streaked through the clouds, we dashed into a two-story building labeled 'Café.'

"Hurry now! Block the doors before it gets darker!" an older man with a short grey beard said as we ran in. A small group of people who had been waiting by the doors quickly obeyed his order. The girl beside me ran to him and hugged him, while in this moment, he noticed me.

"Alana, who is this with you?" the old man asked, studying me.

"I don't know. I found her outside the perimeter while I was doing my patrol. Do you think that she with those travelers?" The girl next to me, Alana I assumed, said as the group of men finished blocking the door. The older man shrugged.

"I don't know. She could be. Tell me girl, who are you? Are you from here?" the man asked. I shook my head.

"The names Yukari Tanaka and no sir, I have just arrived here," I said with a short bow, my hair sliding past my shoulders. The man nodded solemnly as he motioned for a waitress standing by the Café's bar to come over. He whispered into her ear and with a short nod, she went into the back. My eyes slightly narrowed.

"Well, then. That explains why you were found by the forest. Oh, relax, this is a safe place. I just asked Mina to fetch the other travelers," The man told me, noticing my tension.

"Uh, okay. Excuse me sir, if may I ask, what is the problem here? All of the people of this town seem to be afraid of this forest or something. Why?" I asked as the man motioned for me and the girl, Alana, to sit down at a table.

"Yep. Almost the same question the young man had asked. Alana, will you tell her while I check in with the other zones?" the man asked. Alana nodded enthusiastically and the man headed for the stairs that were visible in the room. When he was gone, the girl let out a sigh of relief.

"Man! You people just keep popping up everywhere! It's amazing!" Alana said as she leaned back in her seat.

"Um…if you say so," I said, not catching the reason as why she was so excited.

"So. I'm Alana. And that old man is my grandpa, Kei. It's nice to meet you! Did you come here to try and help like with the others?" Alana asked as she took an empty salt-shaker into her hands and began to twirl it on the table.

"Um, I'm not sure. The person that I work for told me that I was need here and sent me. But…I can help if I'm needed." I told her, and when her face seemed to fall, I added in the last part.

"That's great! The Blanks have getting harder and harder to fend off." Alana said casually. I stared at her.

"Blanks?" I asked.

"Oh! Sorry. The 'Blanks,' that's what we call them. They started appearing about 14 years ago. Originally, right after sunset, there were only a couple of them and they didn't do anything but wander around. But after the first few months, their numbers increased and we began to notice disappearances from our town and the neighboring ones. It wasn't until half a year had passed until someone witnessed a Blank completely devouring this miner."

"Devouring? As in…it ate someone?" I asked her, shocked. Alana nodded.

"It's partially why we call them Blanks. They'll eat any living thing that they can get to without stopping. Since then, we've tried everything to get rid of them. Hunts, exploration teams…only ending in loosing more people." Alana told me, looking down.

"Do you know what caused their appearance?" I asked, causing Alana to look up.

"No. Like I said, they just appeared."

"That is a good question, though," A young voice said from the back door. I turned.

"Mokona Modoki really happy to see you again!" a high-pitched, feminine voice said as a white, bunny-like creature bounced toward me. I caught her in her attempt to hug me.

"Mokona?" I asked, surprised by her sudden appearance.

"Hi! See, see! Mokona was right all along! We were going to meet somebody!" Mokona said proudly, her ears rising.

"It seems so. Hello, my name's Syaoran and it seems that Mokona knows you," the boy who had spoken up earlier said as he walked further into the room.

"Yes. I work with Yûko-san and she sent me here to find your group," I told Syaoran, moving Mokona to my shoulder as I stood.

"So the porkbun was right then?" A deeper voice asked from the doorway. Leaning against the side was the tall, black haired swordsman, an annoyed look stretched across his face. Mokona let out a cry of complaint and bounced from my shoulder.

"Mokona said that Mokona was telling the truth!" Mokona said in a teasing manner as she bounced to the swordsman.

"Sakura-chan and I didn't doubt you Mokona." Another voice, lighter but still male, came from behind the swordsman. Following the swordsman was the tall, blonde man. Mokona smiled and leapt into his hands.

"So what is it that the Dimension Witch wants, umm…?" the blonde started, looking at me.

"Yukari Tanaka. Yûko-san just sent me here with no explanation so your guess is as good as mine," I said with a short bow, followed by a shrug. The blonde gave a nod while the swordsman scoffed.

"Well, that's just great. And here we where thinking that that Witch had some sort of true plan," the swordsman said as he folded his arms. I let out a short laugh.

"That's Yûko-san for you. But I'm sure that there's something that we can do, otherwise, she wouldn't have sent me," I told them with a shrug.

"All right guys! We've finished preparing the trap!" Alana's grandfather, Kei, called out as he returned to the room.

"Trap?" I asked. Kei nodded.

"Yes. A trap to lure in one of the Blanks," Kei told me. My eyes widened. These people couldn't be serious.

"Wait! Isn't that suicidal? I mean, no ones been able to do it before, right?" I asked the old man.

"Until now. Thanks to this group here, we've come up with a plan that's sure to work!" Kei said and another one of the men in the Café walked up to him.

"We'll begin in two hours. Lets all rest and prepare until then," the man said, and with multiple nods from some of the people in the room, the groups separated.

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This is a bad idea. How are they planning to pull this off? I asked myself these questions as I sat down at the bar in the front of the Café, leaning against the palm of my hand. With a sigh, I leaned backwards a little and stretched out my hands, my 'withdrawal' having finished taking place while I sat. There was a clink of glass hitting marble as a tall glass was set in front of me.

"Looks like you could use a drink," the blonde said as he sat down on the stool next to me.

"Um, thanks," I said as I picked up the cup and took a sip. It was sweet and creamy, kind of like a milkshake.

"Sorry about earlier, I'm afraid that we didn't fully introduce ourselves. My name's Fai. The tall guy with the attitude problems is Kuro-pan, though he'd get angry if he heard you call him that, and you've already met Syaoran-kun and Mokona. There is another person with us, whose currently sleeping upstairs at the moment, and her name is Sakura-chan," the blonde, Fai, said with a smile. I smiled back.

"It's nice to meet you! Do you think that they'll be able to pull this off?" I asked him.

"Possibly. It was Syaoran-kun who came up with the plan. He believes that the appearance of the Blanks have something to do with Sakura-chan's feather," Fai said as he propped his head on his hands.

"Feather?" I repeated. His eyes widened a little in realization.

"It's what we're searching for. Sakura-chan's feathers. Basically, her 'memories' shaped in the form of feather and scattered throughout the worlds," Fai explained to me with an apologetic smile.

"Wow. That's not an easy task to accomplish," I said as I turned in my seat to get up. Fai continued to smile.

"Well, I can't say that it hasn't been easy, but…it helps when you have other people helping you," Fai said as he stood.

"I guess so," I replied, standing from my stool and turning my attention to the clock.

"It's time."

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A/N- I hope you enjoyed! So yes, I use the spelling FAI. Not Fye. Or Fay. FAY is a girls name ( I'm agreeing with a comment FAI's English voice actor, Vic Mignogna said, and I should know, my middle name is Faye)

(When Alana first appears, my original copy of this her language read-"Nonsense." Heh, her language was a PAIN! Having to go back and forth to 'insert' – 'symbol' then finding a symbol to use! Ahh, but it was fun to experiment, and I hope that can use the symbols, if not…Oh, and hopefully, if FanFic doesn't change anything, all of these where just randomly picked and I hope that it doesn't actually mean anything.);;

Also, according to the Drama CD's of Tsubasa, the white Mokona is a girl, so I will refer to Mokona as a girl.

I would like to thank: _KiLLahPANDA, andre-95, Starlight Spirit, _and_ The Gloomy One _for reviewing!!

See ya!~


	3. To Catch the Shadows

A/N- Hey guys! So glad that many of you are enjoying this! Keep it up! My fanfic's get updated faster as the more popular they become, so, in order, here is the list so far of when to expect things to be updated!

Kokoro no Yuki- _HitsuOC_

~B Y A K U YA ~ True L I G H T & Curiosity and the Cats – _These two are tied in popularity, surprisingly. FaiOC / HikaruOCKaoru_

Nightly Encounter- _KamuiOCSubaru_

_DIGIMON: Lost Signal_- _Meh_…_XD_

Disclaimer- Tsubasa RESERvoir CHRoNiCLE © CLAMP

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~B Y A K U Y A ~True L I G H T

_Chapter 3- To Catch the Shadows_

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Already I could tell that there were many possible flaws in the plan. It was a simple plan, and a dangerous one. The swordsman, Kurogane, was to be 'bait,' so I was informed. His job was to run down the alleyway adjacent to the Café, luring in a stray Blank to the loading dock of the store. The door was to close behind it, locking it inside of an already prepared cage which would close after Kurogane was past it. Many of the people in the Café felt insecure about this plan. I didn't blame them.

"Are you sure that you want to do this Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked as Kurogane stretched his arms.

"Hmph. So you'd rather me not do anything and just sit here? Please. I've been looking for some decent action and here's my chance," Kurogane said as he stood.

"And if this plan does work? What will we do then?" I asked the group. We already knew that we would be able to observe and watch the Black through some glass-reinforced plastic, non-breakable glass, but what then? Like I said, many flaws.

"Well, we'll see. If things don't go as planned…" Syaoran started and Kurogane grunted.

"Kid, this'll be easy. You said it yourself that these Blanks may have something to do with the princess's feather, so stop second-guessing yourself!" Kurogane said irritably as the old man, Kei, walked up to us. I sighed in defeat.

"The trap is set and ready? You'll have about 40 seconds to lure one in and get back. Are you still willing to go through with it?" Kei asked, receiving a scoff from Kurogane.

"A few monsters won't stop me. I've can deal with them," Kurogane said, raising his sword. Kei nodded, and with that they headed towards the front door. Alana, Kei's granddaughter, popped up beside me as Syaoran took a defensive stance by the door.

"Alana…what is it exactly that keeps the Blanks from tearing into and getting inside of the buildings at night?" I asked out of curiosity as we watched some of the men move the blockade. She shrugged.

"Not really sure, but a common theory is that they don't like the light. That's why they don't come out during the day, or at least in bright areas, and that's why we keep the lights on at night," Alana told me. There was a solid 'thunk' as the last desk was removed from the door. All that remained was the door's lock.

"Hey, c'mon, let's head to the back where it's safe right now!" Alana prompted, looking anxiously at the door. I shook my head, causing my light blue hair to slide off my shoulder.

"No. I'll stay here. They might need help when they open this door," I said sternly, already preparing my magic for an attack. She nodded slightly and moved back. There was a nod passed silently between Kurogane and Syaoran, then the door clicked. In a black blur, the swordsman had rushed from the front and outside. In the same moment, the men inside swiftly worked on blocking the door back. Between the shuffling sounds of furniture being moved, a sound was heard. A sharp, eerie screeching sounded from the outside. A startled expression crossed Syaoran's face, and he quickly dashed to the back. I shivered, the sound being strange and unfamiliar to me, and seeing that the front door was secure, I ran towards the back as well.

"Has he made it yet?" I heard Syaoran ask as I entered the back storage room. Fai, who had been guarding this side, shook his head.

"No, not yet. But don't worry. This is Kuro-tan we are talking about," Fai said calmly. My eyes narrowed anxiously. The instincts from all of my previous encounters that had gone wrong, told me to run. To flee from this world. But now, I couldn't. The magic that had sent me had only a one-time usage. And yet, I still also had some unknown job that Yûko wanted me to do. I swallowed nervously and clenched my hands.

There was the sound of feet pounding onto ground as the men from the front took their defensive positions along the hallway.

"Gggraaaah!" A low, irritable growl came from outside the dark opening.

"Dammit! Hurry!" Kurogane growled as he ran in. This was it. I held my breath as Kurogane dashed into the cage, followed by a large, shadowy figure. The figure was fast, keeping low to the ground, yet there were no visible hands or legs. The loading door fell down with a clang, as it too, entered the glass cage. Kurogane muttered a curse, slid under the traps door, which immediately closed after him, the Blank slamming into the wall after him. A few cheers erupted from the crowd behind me as they walked further into the room. It was a success. There was a dull thud as the Blank tried ramming the glass again.

"Thank you, Kurogane-san," Syaoran said as he approached the out-of-breath ninja.

"Yes. Good job, Kuro-puu," Fai said, earning a glare from Kurogane.

"I wouldn't thank me just yet. These things are tricky," Kurogane muttered as he stood from his crouched position and turned back to the cage. My eyes drifted back to the trap. Inside the Blank slithered around every corner of its prison.

"It's looking for any weakness," I muttered quietly. After a few minutes, it had stopped moving, and the room emptied out.

"We'll look at it tomorrow when the sun is out," Kei said, as he too, left the room. I looked back at the cage uncertainly.

"Yuki-chan~ is there something wrong?" I heard Fai call out. It wasn't until a few seconds had passed, did I realize that he was talking to me.

"Yuki-chan?" I repeated, giving him a confused look. Fai frowned.

"Hmm…don't like it? How about 'Kari-chan' then?" Fai said, moving his right hand to his mouth thoughtfully.

"Umm, I don't really care. They're both fine…I guess…" I said, receiving a bright smile from him.

"Yay~! Yuki-chan approves! She's much nicer than Kuro-pon~!" Fai said, the last bit louder to be heard by 'Kuro-pon.'

"It's Kurogane! Not Kuro-pon, or Kuro-tan! K-U-R-O-G-A-N-E! Kurogane!" The swordsman yelled angrily from the doorway.

"See, Yuki-chan, Kuro-rin can be such a meanie!" Fai said in a teasing manner as he led me out of the room. With one last, worried glance, we were inside of the hallway.

"Fai-san…don't you think that it's a bit…strange?" I asked quietly as we walked down the hall, careful to not bother the others.

"What? My nicknames?" Fai asked playfully. My eyes narrowed.

"No. The Blank. Why would it just stop moving? They are smart, I can tell from how it investigated the cage. Don't you think that it would be better to keep an eye on it?" I asked him. Fai continued to smile.

"Well, as we did see, it searched around the cage, but didn't seem to find anything. So, I'd say we're safe for now," Fai said contently. I sighed. If he wanted to think that way…

"Alright," I said as we entered the main dining room.

"So, so! How did it turn out? Kuro-puu is okay, isn't he?" Mokona asked as she bounced out from behind the counter at Kurogane.

"I'm fine," Kurogane said gruffly as he caught Mokona mid-bounce. Mokona beamed and wiggled around.

"Yay! Everyone's fine and okay!" Mokona said happily.

"Mokona, has Sakura-chan woke up yet?" Syaoran asked, his voice seeming worried. Mokona shook her head.

"Nah-ah. She's still sleeping," Mokona said, freeing herself from Kurogane's grasp and making her way to Syaoran's shoulder. Relief crossed Syaoran's face.

"That's good," Syaoran said with a sigh.

"Alright, guys, you know the drill. I want the first shift people to be extremely alert tonight. Everybody else, get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be important," Kei said now that everyone was together. It wasn't until now that I noticed that the amount of people in the room had decreased.

"Um, Mokona, are the others upstairs sleeping?" I asked, getting a nod in return.

"Yep! The younger ones and the people who can't help with these situations go to sleep early. But sometimes they have to do a night shift. Oh! Yukari-chan has to get a bed too!" Mokona said, her attitude perking up. With a hurry motion, Mokona led me up the stairs. Here, there were about four separate rooms, each containing many sleeping bags and blankets.

"Stop! Here! You can sleep in our room!" Mokona said as we reached the end of the hall. Inside, there were already four futons, one of which was occupied. I took a step in.

"This is Sakura-chan, right?" I whispered to Mokona who nodded silently in return. The door behind me creaked slightly, and I turned.

"We figured that Mokona would ask you to stay in here, so we asked for a spare blanket," Syaoran said as he entered with the other two.

"Thank you," I said with a short bow to them, my hair falling over my shoulders. Kurogane scoffed and tossed my bag at me.

"Here, you left this downstairs," Kurogane said abruptly as I caught my bag. I smiled at him.

"Thank you," I said again. I glanced around the room. It was simple with plain, tan-colored walls. There was no furniture except for the four futons and a small bookshelf. Along with the old bookshelf sat an old lamp and few traveling bags, most likely belonging to the group that occupied the room. Above the shelf was a boarded up window with rusty nails sticking out in various spots. My futon was moved next to Sakura's and across from the other three, making it the second closest one to the creepy window. Suppressing another uprising of uneasiness, I sat my bag down next to my futon.

"Mokona gonna sleep with Yukari-chan tonight!" Mokona said cheerfully as she hopped over to my side. With light laughter, I shook my head.

"I don't think so, Mokona. You'll keep me awake. But another time perhaps?" I said, kindly declining her request. Mokona made a pouting face.

"But Mokona wanted to know how Yûko is doing!" Mokona complained. I grinned, patting the little white creature on her head.

"And that's why you're not sleeping with me," I told her again. Mokona's ears drooped slightly in defeat.

"Alright…I sleep with Kuro-puu instead!" Mokona said, instantly cheering up as she hopped over to the futon closest to the window.

"Oh hell no, you punk!" Kurogane growled as Mokona jumped into his lap. Mokona laughed as she attempted to pounce onto his head, only to be caught mid-air by Fai.

"That's enough, we need to resting while we can, okay Mokona?" Fai said, partly cooing to Mokona. Syaoran nodded.

"Fai-san's right," Syaoran said as he sat on the futon across from Sakura's. Kurogane grunted, and reached up to the old lamp, turning it on. With a few quiet 'good nights,' I turned over to my side and shut my eyes.

* * *

_Fog swirled around me as I woke up in the darkness. I looked around at the surrounding futons. They were all empty. A brisk, cold wind rushed through the room, causing goosebumps to rise on my arms. I shivered, and then realization hit me. Turning around quickly, I discovered the window ripped apart, broken wood fragments and nails scattered among the floor. The lamp was also on the floor, the old glass cracked on one side. Nervously, I stood, looking around for the others. With hesitation, I made my way to the door and opened it. I gasped in horror. The hallway was pitch black, not even the other side of the hall was visible. An eerie creaking noise followed my gasp, and the darkness began to move. It undulated and stretched out, spilling onto the floor. I took a step back, hissing in pain as I accidentally stepped on a piece of glass. The shadow rumbled, and began to slide up, starring at me the entire time with non-existent eyes. A deep rumble echoed throughout the room again as it began to tower over me. Without warning, a sharp shriek resonated from it as the cape-like head lifted up, revealing a large mouth with multiple teeth. My eyes widened as it lunged…_

I bolted up from my futon in a cold sweat, my breathing heavy and labored. Around me, everyone still slept peacefully in their futons. I let out a relieved sigh. It was just a nightmare. Or… Giving myself a mental shake, I calmed myself down, evening out my breathing. There was no clock in the room to tell how long I'd slept. I stared down at my hands. It had all seemed so real. Silently, I stood from my futon. Though what I had was a dream, something felt wrong. I opened the door to the hallway, the faint light gently flooding into the room. But now that the door was opened, I could tell what was wrong. Something downstairs was creating a loud, steady, banging noise.

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A/N- Lol. Lesson learned from this chapter…apparently…"Meanie" is not a word. Oh well, it is now! XD

I would like to thank- _Kuramas'lilAngel! _I love your name! Thanks sooo much!

See ya!~


	4. Shining Light

A/N- Ahhhh! I'm soooo sorry for this being late! –bows deeply- Its just that I have so much going on right now that I barely have time to work on my fanfiction! (begins to inch away from my fans who read my Ouran story and Bleach story);;

Anyways! No more procrastinating! On with the story!

In response to _Your-Favorite-Stalker-_ Sorry for not getting to thank you for reviewing chapter two! I had already sent it to my beta-reader to be checked and I didn't get the chance to add you in! BTW, good job for the Death Note reference, you're the first to spot it! (Sorry, I have two anime/manga reference's in chapter one and I'm happy that someone finally spotted one of the two!)

In response to _–Rhiannon-Onyx Moon_ – Lol, I know right? Like I said in my first chapter, I like Fai, and Kurogane is cool, but put them together and…NO! Thank you for your review!

Disclaimer- Tsubasa RESERvoir CHRoNiCLE © CLAMP

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~B Y A K U Y A ~True L I G H T

_Chapter 4- Shining Light_

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Right as I opened the door and noticed the sound, the group that was in the room with me stirred awake as well. Quickly, I felt the presence of Syaoran and Kurogane at the door with me.

"It's the Blank. It's trying to escape," I whispered. A silent nod was passed between the two guys as they exited the room and headed down the stairs. I frowned, not knowing if I should follow or not. Light footsteps from behind me alerted my attention to Fai, who had gotten up as well.

"Well, what are you going to do?" Fai asked me as if he knew what I was thinking. Taking a glance at the still sleeping Sakura and Mokona, I faced him.

"I'm going to help. I have to figure out the reason why Yûko-san sent me here, and this could be important," I told him. Fai tilted his head with a smile and lightly closed the room's door as he followed me into the hall. By now, the banging noise had grown louder as we reached the downstairs. The night guards and some of the others that had been sleeping had now cluttered into small groups away from the loading dock, casting nervous glances every time there was a sound.

"What's it doing?" I heard Kurogane growl as we neared the back doors. His question was followed by another thump of weight hitting the wall of glass. As the doors swung open, I took in the sight. Both Syaoran and Kurogane held defensive stances as they stared questioningly at the Blank. Kurogane's hand was held carefully above the sword at his side, ready for anything. Syaoran held more of a fighter's stance and stood closer to the door. Another loud bang echoed against the walls of the room as the Blank rammed itself at the glass. The Blanks body flung back in recoil and lifted its head. Immediately, a loud, piercing screech followed. Wincing, I covered my ears and looked on with horror. Hidden beneath the fold of its snake-like head was a large mouth, full of jagged teeth. The screeching stopped as it coiled back up, preparing for another charge.

"Why is it doing this?" I heard one of the townsmen ask from a corner.

"Why do you think? It's because we've trapped it in here! I knew that this was a bad idea!" another person responded.

"Hey! We're still safe as long as we still have these lights!" the first man said as he pointed up at the ceiling. The room went quiet. The Blank, which had been attacking the wall, coiled back up and looked up at the ceiling, emitting a low hiss. A collection of screeches and cries resounded from the outside, and the Blank began to focus on the bar of light above. I looked over at the first person with an annoyed glare, only to notice that Kurogane had done the same.

"What the hell did you do! We don't know what these things can do and you go and say something like that!" Kurogane yelled. Above us, the lights started to let out a buzzing sound and they began to glow brighter. My eyes widened in realization as I watched the Blank try to shrink itself into a tiny, dark corner while it continued to focus on the lights.

"It's trying to overload the lights! Too much energy and they'll go out!" I told Kurogane. He growled.

"So what do we do?" Kurogane yelled. I inhaled deeply, trying to calm down and figure something out. Only one of the actions that I thought of was possible, and even then I wouldn't be able to tell how long I could keep it up.

"Alright! Everyone get either into the next room or behind me, near the doors," I said calmly. Most of the people in the room rushed out as I said this, leaving only Kurogane, Syaoran, Fai, and the Café owner, Kei, behind with me.

"What are you planning Yuki-chan?" Fai asked as he moved behind me.

"Well, I was hoping that you guys could guard this door while I use a spell at the moment the lights go out," I said with a sheepish grin. Kurogane gave me incredulous look as Syaoran gave me an assured nod. The lights above were glowing white-hot and the buzzing noise had gotten stronger as well. Nervously, I swallowed. All of these people were depending on me. This had to be timed carefully. The lights grew brighter, and then a sharp popping noise followed. Now.

"_Rays of Light, be my guide! Shine!" _I said as I held my hands, palm out, above me. A flash of light burst from my palms as the lights flickered out above us. It formed into a small sphere and hovered above the cage. Instantly, I repeated the spell twice more, sending out another two spheres which lit up the room. The Blank coiled back to a tiny, still form.

"This will last for another few hours," I said, feeling worn out and light-headed already, without having to wait for my withdrawal. I'd used up too much magic at once. I knew that this was going to be a bad idea.

"Keep a watch out…on this room until daybreak…it should be fine until then," I muttered heavily as I walked from the storage room to the front of the Café. I needed to rest, and I needed it now. I stared blearily up at the top of the stairs before I gathered up enough energy to take the first step. Slowly and steadily I made my way up the stairs, one step at a time. Sighing, I gave a small smile as I was almost at the top. My withdrawal however, would not wait any longer. Instantly, my head swam in a swirl of colors and thickness as exhaustion over-took me and I fell backwards. There was a multitude of muffled shouts and I felt my body drop into someone's arms before everything turned black.

* * *

Soft warmth covered my body as I began to wake up. Groggily, I opened my eyes to be greeted by a golden stream of sunlight that was pouring from a small crack between the wooden planks. With a groan, I leaned up and looked around.

"Ah, good morning! I'd take it that you used up too much of your magic?" a light, masculine voice asked from the opposite side of the room. I turned to see the blonde sitting by his mat, grinning.

"Yeah…sort of. Spells that are influenced by the Light Element are always...difficult. Ugh…what happened?" I asked, not even bothering to ask Fai how he knew.

"You passed out at the top of the stairs. You're lucky that I was following you or else you would've fallen. How are you feeling now, by the way?" Fai asked with a small tilt of his head.

"Better, I guess. Wait…its morning! Has there been any change with the Blank?" I asked Fai, but he just shook his head.

"I've been here looking after you and Sakura-chan while the other two took up guarding, so…I have no clue!" Fai said with an innocent smile. The word 'ditzy' popped into my head as he did this. I sighed as I pulled the light sheets off and stood up.

"Will she be alright? She's been sleeping the entire time that I've been here," I asked as I glanced at the sleeping girl. Fai gave a small shrug, his gaze wondering to the girl as well.

"She's been sleeping the entire time that we've been in this world," Fai said, his voice changing from his previous cheerful one to that of a more mature and concerned tone. Silence filled the room for a few seconds until I felt a sudden increase of weight around my shoulders.

"Okay! Time to get you some breakfast!" Fai said suddenly, his smile back on his face as he draped his arm around my neck. I rolled my eyes, his change in attitude rivaled Yûko's.

"Mokona?" Fai suddenly said, and the little white bunny bounced into the room.

"What is it, Fai?" Mokona said cheerfully.

"Please watch after Sakura-chan while we're gone, but continue to keep a look out for the feather, kay?" Fai asked as he held Mokona up eye-level. Mokona saluted with a grin.

"Gotcha Fai!" Mokona said as she hopped from his hands and onto Sakura's futon.

"Well, Kari-chan? Let's go," Fai said as he walked into the hallway. Inhaling greatly, I followed. The downstairs had changed drastically within the past few hours, I soon found out. People crowded the Café's dining room, with sunlight streaming through the now open windows. It was only now that I began to recognize that some of this people weren't even from the Café, but possibly from some other safe hideaway. Loud chattering filled the tiny room as different people held multiple conversations. Ugh, if there was one thing that I didn't like, it was crowds. Unconsciously, I shrunk back, and bumped into Fai. Surprised, he looked up at the crowd as well.

"Seems we're in quite the popular place to be today," Fai mused as he watched even more people file into the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a hand waving through the air.

"Yukari! Over here!" Alana called from the booth she sat at. I looked over at Fai, almost as if asking permission, then wondered why I had. I hesitantly crossed the packed room, working my way slowly to her booth, letting out a sigh of relief as I got there.

"Good morning!" Alana greeted as she motioned for me to sit down. I nodded back and scooted in.

"Good morning. So, I'm taking that all these people are here to see the Blank?" I asked, suppressing a yawn. Alana nodded.

"Yep! Though, my grandfather won't let anyone in yet. The only people in there are your friends," Alana said as she took a sip of what looked like orange juice from her glass.

"My friends?" I asked her, a confused look on my face.

"Yeah, umm, was it Kurogane and…Syaoran? They've been a great help keeping guard and protecting us while we slept!" Alana said with a bright smile on her face. This surprised me. I wasn't expecting anyone to consider Mokona's group and me as friends, mainly because I didn't really know them myself. Well, of course, they seemed nice and friendly, but that was just how they acted. Right? I sighed in deep thought.

"Kari-chan!~ Breakfast time!" Fai said as he appeared out of thin air, making me jump slightly. In his hands he carried two cups, both appearing to be the same stuff Alana had been drinking. He sat one down by me and motioned me to move over. I gave him a quizzical look.

"Come now, don't be like that! Mommy needs to sit too!" Fai pouted playfully. This made me give him an even more 'what?' look. Alana glanced at us from the other side and stood.

"Umm…I think that… I'll go see how everyone else is doing," Alana said quickly, and disappeared into the crowd.

"Mommy?" I repeated in a disturbed manner. Fai laughed and took the other side of the table.

"It's just a joke Kuro-puu, Syaoran, Sakura and I have going. My idea of course!" Fai grinned. I stared at him ridiculously. Of course…Suddenly, a waiter appeared beside the table with a tray of food, distracting my thoughts.

"Thank you!" I told him as he left. I wanted to eat quickly, the sooner I help with the Blanks, the faster I possibly find the reason why Yûko sent me here. Then after that…mission over, time to go home! With happy thoughts on my mind I quickly began to eat up a strange tasting pancake like object. The noise around us began to die down as I continued to focus on my food. It was then that I barely heard it. A wail so high pitched and sharp that I almost placed it as the buzz from the crowd. But, as it was so high, it also seemed to vibrate through certain objects and resonate with them. The sad tone began to pulse through me and I shook my head. What was that?

"So you've finally heard it. Care to go see what it is?" Fai suddenly stated as he looked over at me, then towards the back doors. I stared at him for a moment, studying his expression. Did what he say…mean that he could hear it as well? His face held a kind of excited look, as if he wanted to encounter something new. But his eyes…they showed a deep sadness that seemed to understand the sorrow. I then realized that Fai wasn't all smiley as I originally took him for.

"Alright, let's go," I said as I stood from the booth. We navigated our way to the back, ignoring comments from people about 'Wait your turn!' or 'Get in line!,' there was something happening in there right now, and whatever it was, it wasn't good. As we reached the doors, Kei greeted us.

"Good morning you two! Are you feeling better, girly?" Kei asked and I nodded.

"We'd like to see what's happening," I said. Kei glanced at the doors and gave a shrug.

"Sure, go on in. After all, it's thanks to you that we we're able to subdue the thing," Kei said as he pushed open the door. In that narrow hallway, the wail's seemed to become louder, and I hurried in my pace. It couldn't be coming from the Blank, but…somehow, it was. As I turned the corner into the large docking room, I found out why. Next to the Blank's cage stood Syaoran and Kurogane, each a different expression of grief on their faces.

"Syaoran-kun, what's happening to it?" Fai asked as paused next to me. Inside the cage, the Blank was now no bigger than my hands, despite its original size comparable to a normal chair.

"It's shrinking…" Syaoran muttered. My eyes lowered, noticing the reason and why it couldn't be stopped. Above the loading doors was a pair of large windows, perfectly positioned to cast the sunlight onto the Blanks cage, evaporating the creature somehow. Steadily, it continued to grow smaller, wisps of it floating off from its body and disappearing into the air. With one finale and weak cry, the Blank vanished into the sunlight. The thing that this town feared so much, the thing that we had worked hard to catch and keep contained, was one thing we lost because of its nature. Now we no longer had a Blank to examine, but that wasn't their problem anymore. I stared at the small, ash like stain on the ground, most likely a permanent marking.

"There's supposed to be a mine in this town, right?"

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A/N- So, a bit of a downhill for Yukari and Fai's relationship. (I can't build it up too fast!) Right now, she sort of see's him as a bit of a goof, but she also has noticed his serious and caring side. Also, for a more detailed description of a Blank. You take No-Face plus the Henchmen (from Howl's Moving Castle) plus the Vashta Nerada (from Doctor Who) equals- Blank!

Those who Review get a cookie!~

I would like to thank- _Lightest'Ink, Your-Favorite-Stalker, _and -_Rhiannon-Onyx Moon _for Reviewing!

See ya!~


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